Rank #10 in Best Laser Engraver 2026: 10 Ranked, From £135.99
LONGER Ray5 Mini 3.5W, 140 × 130 mm, Wi-Fi
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The LONGER RAY5 mini is a 3.5 W desktop laser engraver with a 140 × 130 mm work area, USB and Wi-Fi connection, a mobile app and an emergency stop button. It sits at #10 in this guide, and at £135.99 it is the cheaper of two LONGER listings for what the listings describe as the same machine: the other 3.5 W Ray5 mini is £159.78, £23.79 more for the same 3.5 W module, the same 0.04 × 0.04 mm spot and the same 12,000 mm/min top speed. A 5.5 W version of the Ray5 mini is listed at £161.49 — £1.71 more than the dearer of the two 3.5 W listings.
Two numbers in this listing are worth handling carefully. The quoted 12,000 mm/min engraving speed is 200 mm/s, which is the figure to compare against any machine advertised in mm/s rather than the big number on its own. And the star breakdown shown with the product adds up to 100 ratings, 69 of them five-star, while the headline figure is 410 ratings at 4.3 out of 5. Everything on this page is taken from the Amazon listing; we have not tested the machine.
How those 410 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.3 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £135.99 — the cheaper of two listings of the same 3.5 W machine (the other is £159.78) |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 out of 5 from 410 ratings |
| Laser power | 3.5 W (a 5.5 W version of the Ray5 mini is listed at £161.49) |
| Engraving speed | Up to 12,000 mm/min, which is 200 mm/s |
| Laser spot | 0.04 × 0.04 mm |
| Working area | 140 × 130 mm as listed (one bullet gives the same area as 130 × 140 mm) |
| Connectivity and software | USB, Wi-Fi and mobile app; LaserGRBL, LightBurn and LaserBurn |
| Best Sellers Rank | 66 in Engraving Tools (94,349 in DIY & Tools) |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I love this, it has become my new best friend.The free laser GRBl software works great, no need to buy the subscription software, just leav a donation.It took about 10 mins to put together, download and install the software and be up and ready to print.Just load a jpg image in to the GRBL, drag and drop.Set the image size you want, use 130 for maximum size in the width or hight and press create.It converts to a negative image.It works very much like an old dot matrix printer.Tip make sure any white is white in your background. It will skip white and make for faster printing. If it is off white it won't print anying but will take longer.This will give a print like finish. For deeper cut/printing raise the laser higher.For large surfaces, you can just move the printer around and layout your design a section at a time.There is a draw icon that moves the laser around the outer limits of the section it will use.I wanted to use this on some boxes that I am making for my grand kids, so I made an adjustable stand for it to sit on for higher objects. (They don't sell.anything for this. I would have baught one if they did).Very impressed with what this will do, especially for the money. Would definitely recommend for a starter like me.”
Verified purchase“Well worth the money for what you can do with it. Just be aware it is not the best for cutting thin wood and won't engrave uncoated metal, but for engraving wood it is perfect. The app is also super easy to use.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Laser Engraver 2026: 10 Ranked, From £135.99.
Questions people ask
What is the working area of the LONGER RAY5 mini?
The title and specifications give 140 × 130 mm, and one bullet gives the same area as 130 × 140 mm — the same rectangle in a different order. It is sold as a 140 × 130 mm machine.
How fast does the LONGER RAY5 mini engrave?
The listing quotes engraving speeds up to 12,000 mm/min, which is 200 mm/s, with an ultra-fine 0.04 × 0.04 mm laser spot.
Why is the LONGER RAY5 mini £135.99 here and £159.78 elsewhere?
LONGER lists the same 3.5 W Ray5 mini twice in the catalogue. The two listings carry different prices and different review counts — 410 at 4.3 for this one, 40 at 4.0 for the dearer one — while the power, spot size and top speed quoted are the same.
Can the LONGER RAY5 mini cut wood and engrave metal?
The listing says it engraves wood, acrylic, leather and anodized aluminium. One reviewer of this listing reports it is perfect for engraving wood but is not the best for cutting thin wood and will not engrave uncoated metal.
What software does the LONGER RAY5 mini work with?
The listing names LaserGRBL, LightBurn and LaserBurn, and says the machine connects by USB, Wi-Fi or the mobile app.
What safety features does the LONGER RAY5 mini have?
The listing lists an emergency stop button, motion detection auto-shutdown, X/Y-axis limit switches and protective goggles, with 24/7 support and lifetime technical help.
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